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When the Jews were expelled from Portugal, the castle was completely abandoned. The meaning and importance of the castle Sintra reduced over the centuries and the 15th century the Jewish settlers were the only inhabitants.
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The first Portuguese king strengthened the Moors defended castles but the royal court favored Lisbon. This crusading army was comprised of drunks and thieves, that's about freeing Lisbon promptly sacked the capital. The fortifications of the Moorish Castle have been greatly improved, but were not sufficient to reject the second much larger Christian crusade in 1147. The castle flourished between the first and the second Christian crusade and this was considered as the highest point of the castle history. Detailed Arab chronicles the Sintra region was very rich in cultivated fields and the Moorish Castle was one of the most important castles in the region, even more important that the Lisbon castle.Īn early Christian crusade, led by King Alfonso VI of Castile, has captured the castle in 1093, but the limited forces expelled the following year. The position of the Moorish Castle was chosen as it provided an appropriate point of view of the river Tagus and offered protection to the town of Sintra. The origins of the castle date back to the 8th century and the invasion of the Muslim Moors from North Africa. The Moorish Castle is highly recommended attraction in Sintra and is very different from other palaces and mansions of the city.
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The castle retains the charm of an ancient ruin, dense forest that surrounds the crumbling battlements that offer spectacular views of the Sintra region. The castle was restored in the 19th century by King Ferdinand II, who transformed it into a romantic ruin and one of the main features of the Pena Palace gardens. The Moorish Castle was established in the North African Moors 9th century to guard the town of Sintra, but fell into disrepair after the Christian conquest of Portugal. Moors Castle is a ruined castle located amidst lush forests of the Serra de Sintra, and is a popular tourist attraction of Sintra.
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